18012023-CT-01.qxd 1/18/2023 12:23 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune ‘MINDLESS’ PRUNING OF TREES IRKS RESIDENTS NO SUBSTITUTE TO HARD WORK, DEDICATION: VETERAN STRIKER SANDEEP’S 5-WKT HAUL FAILS TO DERAIL RAILWAYS’ INNINGS Residents of Phase 9, Mohali, resent the “mindless” pruning of trees in a residential area two days ago. P2 Former captain of Indian women’s hockey team shares her life story at ITBP’s Basic Training Centre. P3 Railways innings witnesses two centuries on Day 1 of Ranji Trophy tie at Sector 16 Cricket Stadium. P3 » » TRICITY COVID REPORT CHD P’KULA MOHALI POSITIVE 99,358 48,434 1,01,163 RECOVERED 98,174 48,013 99,993 NEW CASES 0 0 0 ACTIVE 3 0 2 CHANGE 0 0 0 DEATHS 1,181 421 1,168 NEW 0 0 0 MAX 18°C | MIN 6°C YESTERDAY MAX 17.9°C | MIN 5.7°C SUNRISE THURSDAY 7:19 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE BJP’s Anup Gupta elected Mayor; all boils down to MP Kher’s vote MAYORAL POLLParty bags 2 deputies’ posts too |Cong, SAD councillors abstain AIR QUALITY INDEX Tribune News Service CHANDIGARH 232 PANCHKULA 138 MOHALI 182 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 GENERALLY CLOUDY SKY SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5:47 PM » WEDNESDAY | 18 JANUARY 2023 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF CABLE THEFT AT 2 GOVT SCHOOLS Chandigarh: Two incidents of cable theft have been reported from solar plants installed at government schools. Complainant Brijesh Kumar claimed an unidentified person stole cable and four MC connectors from Government Model Senior Secondary, Dhanas. Also, Raj Kumar claimed cable and four MC connectors were stolen from the Sarangpur school. Two cases have been registered at the Sarangpur police station. TNS 2 BOOKED FOR ~12L VISA FRAUD Chandigarh: The UT police have booked two persons for cheating on the pretext of providing visa. Gagandeep Singh alleged he and Hardeep Singh, both residents of Rajpura, were duped of Rs 12 lakh by Ramandeep Singh, alias Rajat, and Parshant Sethi who provided them fake visa of South Korea. A case under Sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC and 24 of the Immigration Act has been registered at the Sector 36 police station. TNS Chandigarh, January 17 With no last-minute surprises in the form of cross-voting or invalid votes, the ruling BJP retained all three posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor by defeating rival AAP candidates by a single vote in the MC House polls today. BJP’s outgoing Deputy Mayor Anup Gupta (38) rose to the rank of Mayor, beating AAP candidate Jasbir Singh Laddi by lone vote. The contest between the BJP and AAP which had 29 , votes between them, had boiled down to a single vote. While both sides had equal number of councillors i.e. 14 each, the vote of ex officio member i.e. local MP Kirron Kher did the trick for the saffron party. The ruling party won all three posts, securing its share of 15 votes, while AAP polled 14 votes in the three rounds of polling. All six councillors of the Congress and the lone SAD member in the 36-member House abstained from voting. BJP’s Kanwarjeet Singh Rana (32) defeated AAP’s Taruna Mehta by a single vote to get elected as Senior Deputy Mayor. Similarly, party’s Harjeet Singh (39) beat Newly elected Mayor Anup Gupta flanked by (from right) Senior Deputy Mayor Kanwarjeet Singh Rana, Deputy Mayor Harjeet Singh, UT BJP former chief Sanjay Tandon, party unit president Arun Sood, MP Kirron Kher and outgoing Mayor Sarbjit Kaur in Chandigarh on Tuesday. PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR WE ARE THE LARGEST PARTY numbers, we were the largest voting, Cong and ❝ByAAP that has been issuing party. ❝By notgave Mayor’s seat SADa platter It was indirectly on statements of aligning with Cong. Grapes seem sour for them. — Arun Sood, BJP UNIT CHIEF ❞ ■ While both BJP and AAP had 14 councillors each, vote of ex officio member i.e. MP Kirron Kher did the trick for saffron party AAP’s Suman Sharma to become Deputy Mayor. All three are very young win- Picture with Pb CM surfaces shortly before poll AAP says Congress’ Gurbax Rawat (2L)‘changed mind’ after joining party. Mohali, January 17 The police have arrested a Bhankharpur resident for threatening and trying to extort Rs 20 lakh from a Dera Bassi businessman by posing as a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Had posed as member of Bishnoi gang The police said suspect Karan Kumar had called up and threatened Mukesh Kumar Aggarwal, a resident of Saini Vihar, Phase 3, Baltana, Zirakpur, and tried to extort Rs 20 lakh from him. During preliminary interrogation, Kumar confessed to his crime and disclosed he had met the complainant four months ago and taken his mobile number in a business deal. He planned to extort Continued on page 2 ■ The ruling party won all three posts, securing its share of 15 votes, while AAP polled 14 votes in the three rounds of polling ners, which is a rarity. Meanwhile, drama was witnessed in the later part of the Chandigarh, January 17 A picture of Congress councillor Gurbax Rawat “joining AAP” in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann created a buzz in political circles right before mayoral polls today. While the Congress termed it fake, the AAP claimed Rawat had joined the party a few days ago, but changed her mind later. Share-wise registration of properties put on hold in UT Tribune News Service Tribune News Service ❞ ■ All six councillors of the Congress and the lone SAD member in the 36-member House abstained from voting day when AAP alleged one vote polled in favour of the BJP for Deputy Mayor was Photo of Cong councillor ‘joining’ AAP creates buzz Dushyant Singh Pundir Man held for ~20L extortion attempt to the BJP. The Cong joined hands with ruling party. — Prem Garg, AAP UNIT PRESIDENT SAFFRON PARTY CANDIDATES POLL 15, AAP 14 VOTES YOUTH STABBED AT KAJHERI Chandigarh: A 20-year-old youth was stabbed at Kajheri. Complainant Suraj alleged Ganja along with other persons stabbed him with a knife near a dhaba at Kajheri village. He suffered injuries and was admitted to the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector 16. A case has been registered at the Sector 36 police station. TNS CONG JOINED HANDS WITH BJP invalid as it was stamped outside the designated area. The BJP levelled a similar allegation, targeting a vote polled in AAP’s favour, but Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh declared both votes valid. Reacting to the results, AAP unit president Prem Garg alleged: “By not voting, the Congress and SAD indirectly gave the Mayor’s seat to the BJP on a platter. If they did not want to vote, they could have written NOTA. The Congress joined hands with the ruling party.” In reply, BJP unit chief Arun Sood said: “By numbers, we were the largest party so we won. It was AAP that has been issuing statements of aligning with the Congress. And how do they know which party is going to vote for which candidate? The grapes are sour for them.” Congress UT president HS Lucky claimed: “Both parties tried to buy our councillors. Thus, in view of these corrupt practices, we decided to stay away from voting.” Senior leaders Sanjay Tandon (BJP) and Pardeep Chhabra (AAP) among others witness the polling from the visitors’ gallery. At one point, MP Kher and Chhabra passed remarks at each other. Chandigarh, January 17 Acting on a recent Supreme Court order, the UT Administration has put share-wise registration of properties in the entire city on hold. In a communique, Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh directed the assistant estate officers and the tehsildars to execute the SC directions in letter and spirit. The DC said a high-level meeting was scheduled on Wednesday to take a call on the implementation of the apex court’s judgment and till then all registration of share-wise properties had been put on hold. In its January 10 order, the SC had directed the Heritage Committee to consider the issue of redensification in Phase-I (Sectors 1 to 30) of the city. The committee had been asked to take into consideration own recommendations that the northern sectors of Chandigarh (“Corbusian Chandigarh”) be preserved in present form. Further, it would also take SC ORDER: ADMN MEET TODAY ON WAY FORWARD ■ Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh has directed assistant estate officers and tehsildars to execute SC directions in letter and spirit ■ A meeting will be held on Wednesday to take call on implementation of the judgment and till then registration of share-wise properties has been put on hold across the city ■ On Jan 10, SC had directed the Heritage Committee to consider issue of redensification in Phase-I (Sectors 1 to 30) of the city into consideration the impact of such redensification on the parking/traffic issues. After the committee considered the issues, the UT Administration would consider amending the Chandigarh Master Plan (CMP)-2031 and the 2017 Rules insofar as they were applicable to Phase-I in accordance with the recommendations of the committee. The amendments would be placed before the Centre, which would take a decision with regard to approval of such amendments keeping in view the requirement of maintaining the heritage status of Le Corbusier Zone. “Till a final decision is taken by the Centre, the UT Administration will not sanction any plan of a building, which ex-facie appears to be a modus operandi to convert a single dwelling unit into three different apartments occupied by three strangers and no memorandum of understanding or agreement or settlement amongst coowners of a residential unit will be registered nor shall it be enforceable in law for the purpose of bifurcation or division of a single residential unit into floor-wise apartments,” it had stated. The SC further directed that the Centre and UT would freeze floor area ratio (FAR) and not increase it any further. Continued on page 2 c m y b Family members offer sweets to Anup Gupta after his election as Chandigarh Mayor at Municipal Corporation office. RAVI KUMAR New Mayor has eyes set on speeding up village projects, Swachh rankings Sandeep Rana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 17 One of the youngest Mayors and currently the richest councillor in the House, Mayor Anup Gupta has set his eyes on speeding up ongoing works, especially in villages merged recently with the Municipal Corporation. He is also committed to elevating the UT back to the top three positions in the Swachh Survekshan rankings. Excerpts of his interview with Chandigarh Tribune: What will be your priority areas? My top priority will be to augment existing works going on in villages that were merged with the corporation recently. Sewerage, storm and water pipelines are currently being laid there. Any new projects you want to bring to the city? At present, we are already carrying out several projects in the city. I will work towards speeding these up. I will monitor the waste processing plant project and improve the door-to-door garbage collection system. KNOW YOUR MAYOR MC career: First-time councillor, outgoing Deputy Mayor Qualification: BCom, LLB (Bachelor of Law) Profession: Businessman Total assets (along with wife’s): ~45 crore FATHER LOST POLL 20 YEARS AGO What Anup Gupta’s late father failed to achieve 20 years ago, his son accomplished on Tuesday. In 2003, former BJP councillor Rajesh Gupta had unsuccessfully contested the Mayor’s election. Two decades later, his son won the election contesting from the same party. WON’T IMPOSE NEW TAXES will not ❝Wewill focusimpose new taxes. I on speeding up dumping ground biomining work. Problems in MC’s paid parking lots will be addressed. — Kanwarjeet ❞ Singh Rana, SENIOR DEPUTY MAYOR ALL-ROUND GROWTH development ❝All-roundbe priority. Will of wards will Her picture wearing an AAP’s robe, along with her husband, with CM Mann, Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh and Chandigarh AAP’s coincharge Pardeep Chhabra had gone viral. Chhabra claimed: “She joined AAP about a month ago. We do not know why she changed her mind. I do not know how this picture got cir- culated today. This picture is of CM’s residence and there is entry of her visit and there are CCTV cameras too.” “Not just her, even BJP councillor Gurcharanjit Singh Kala had joined us, but later changed mind. I do not know why his picture got cropped,” he claimed. Both Kala and Gurbax failed to Continued on page 2 UT dept to fill 85 vacant posts 3 held for shooting Kharar resident Chandigarh, January 17 The UT Engineering Department has started process to fill 85 vacant posts of various categories as per the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs. An official spokesperson said the vacancies include 53 posts of assistant lineman, 24 junior technician (electrician), 7 junior technician (lift operator) and 1 driver. Advertisement has already been given out for filling these posts to meet the shortfall of manpower. — TNS Tribune News Service Mohali, January 17 The district police have arrested three Mukerian residents, including a retired Army personnel, for allegedly shooting a Kharar resident, Kamesh Kumar, following a family dispute, on the evening of January 7. Three unidentified persons had shot Kumar from point blank range in his car outside an eatery near Kharar around 11.10 pm, before fleeing in a car. Three empty shells were recovered from the scene. Water prices and waste collection rates have skyrocketed due to annual hike. Your take? We had earlier brought the rates down. It pinches more when rates hike is effected in one go after a decade. Gradual annual increase in tariff Ex-Army man among suspects Three suspects in police custody. Before fleeing, the suspects had removed a GPS tracker planted in the victim’s car and focus on completing works in villages. We will take city to top of Swachh rankings. — Harjeet Singh, DEPUTY MAYOR ❞ does not hurt that much. We are going to provide 24x7 Continued on page 2 fled in their vehicle, cops said. The suspects, identified as Mukerian residents Ranjit Singh, alias Jita Fauji, 46, (exserviceman), Manjit Singh, alias Billa, 34, and Naveen Kumar Sharma, alias Nawi Pandit, 34, were booked under Section 302 of the IPC and under the Arms Act at the Sadar Kharar police station on January 8. SSP Dr Sandeep Garg said: “The preliminary inquiry revealed the suspects had carried out recce of the victim’s house and car thrice. Continued on page 3 Cop uses melody to warn traffic offenders Gaurav Kanthwal Tribune News Service Mohali, January 17 As long as this traffic awareness song, being played on a loudspeaker at a busy intersection here, extols the virtues of following the rules, no one seems to bother. But as soon as the singer in a melodic voice cautions Bullet riders creating noise pollution using modified silencers — “Pehle ta patakhe tussi marde, hun te police ne patakhe tuade puaney (those SONG PART OF MOHALI’S ROAD SAFETY WEEK ■ Traffic police ASI Sukhdev Lahoria has written, sung and composed song “Traffic Challan” for the Road Safety Week, which began in Mohali on Jan 11 who’ve been creating noise pollution, police will now haul you up)” — heads turn. Such is the effect of song “Traffic Challan”, sung by Mohali traffic police ASI ■ It took him 10 days to write song & a day to record it at his son’s studio using the sarangi, harmonium and tumbi. He presented it to seniors, who liked the idea Sukhdev Lahoria, being played these days on the busy Phase 7-8 traffic intersection. Besides warning the offenders against Rs 5,000 challan for creating noise pol- lution, the two-minute song cajoles road users into driving safely, cautions them not to mix drinking with driving and warns motorists against jumping the red light. In his chaste Punjabi, he urges road users to change habits... “pehle ta tussi si pollution khalaarde (causing pollution has been a norm)”. Lahoria, 47, posted in the challan section of the RTA office, has written, sung and composed the song for the Continued on page 3